Satisfied

As many of you know, I really like music. I rarely find someone with more songs on their iTunes than me, I like making music – I even teach music. The love of music is mostly something that I picked up from my dad, who, coincidentally, also is a great lover of music. Currently, we’re both going through a “country phase”.

Now, you may be asking, “why is this relevant …”. It is. I promise.

Sometimes when I’m doing something, like driving or commuting, I have a certain type of song I’m looking for that suits my mood perfectly. I have randomly named playlists based on times when I had a feeling and I found songs to go with it. These songs are a way that I can satisfy my desire to be at peace from a headache that’s coming, to stay awake while working, to soothe an aching heart, or to enjoy a Friday night.

But, today, God decided to teach me a little lesson in satisfaction.

satisfy |ˈsatisˌfī|
verb ( -fies, -fied) [ trans. ]
meet the expectations, needs, or desires of (someone)

Today I was on the train home, and it was one of those super full ones so everyone who gets on at the right time is late, and therefore must stand (in case you were wondering, I was standing). This train in particular was really full. This point in time, I was also not having a good day.

So, I started on my phone. I tried playing angry birds, and then I got upset because I played all the easy levels and the hard levels were hard. Also, my phone decided to tell me it was low on battery, and since I wasn’t going home until much later, I stopped. Next I moved onto my iPod to play solitaire. Lost a game, and then found out my iPod was dying too. Then I heard a little voice in my head. Our conversation went something like this:

“ahem … so Christy …  you know what would actually satisfy you right now, don’t you?”
“Well, yea, but I mean … my Bible’s all the way in my bag and this is a really full train…”
“You know that it is what you’re looking for, though.”
“Well, yea, but I mean, by the time I get it out and open it I’ll be at my stop and-
“You know what you need.”
“FINE.”

Needless to say, God reminded me that I needed my Bible. And lo and behold, we open to 2 Chronicles 31-32. The latter half of Hezekiah’s life. In particular, verses 24-26 stood out.

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

Just like that. He realized he did wrong, humbled himself, and re-found his satisfaction in God.

All too often, I find that I am searching for things of the world to satisfy me – I don’t even realize it half of the time! But God is all that I will ever need, and He will always satisfy any need that I have. I think I can find it myself, but really, it’s just me being proud in my own abilities. I must constantly humble myself, and accept that I need him to be my satisfaction every day.

And the best part? He likes satisfying me. And he wants to satisfy you too.

– Christy

Beaming

Last week, a friend of mine told me the story of the first day he first came to a CCF weekly meeting during this past summer. He entered the building and saw me walking from the opposite direction, although he didn’t know me yet. When he saw me, he thought, “woah, that girl is wearing a serious ‘do NOT mess with me’ face!” He saw that I went up the stairs, and as he walked behind me to the weekly meeting room, he gradually realized, “Oh my gosh, that girl is going to CCF!” A few minutes into the program, he realized, “Oh my gosh, that girl is on Committee!!”

It was a funny story, and I knew exactly what face he was talking about. When I walk by myself, I tend to walk quickly and think about other things, and don’t think about what my face looks like. I didn’t think it was a big deal (and it probably isn’t, haha). But God used this story to convict me, and teach me about a deeper issue.

My wish is that everything that I do and say would reflect my relationship with God. That my words, actions, clothing, habits, the way I carry myself, and even my demeanor would exude a radiant peace and joy that comes with being in love with Jesus.

I think we underestimate what our behaviour says about what we really believe. Actions speak louder than words. The way you live your life will either corroborate or contradict your witness. When I tell people that I have peace with God through my lord Jesus Christ, I want them to believe me; not think to themselves, “really? I’ve seen the way you walk to school!” Not that I think that specific situation will happen, but the principle is there. You could insert any action or activity into that situation. When I tell people about Jesus and what He’s done in my life, I want them to be able to connect the dots between my witness and the way I live my life. I want them to think, “Ooooh! That’s why she’s like that. There must be something to this Jesus!”

And honestly, what on earth do I have to walk around with a sour face for? I’m an adopted child of God who’s been redeemed and raised from death! I can walk to school with a spring in my step and joy in my face, ‘cause I got Jesus :D

This may seem like making a big deal out of something trivial, but it points to a deeper topic. Either Christ is Lord of everything in my life (even my commute), or He’s not. We need to refuse to compartmentalize different areas of our lives, picking and choosing which ones to ‘let God have’. Instead, we need to be continually surrendering the parts of our lives we’re holding onto as we are made aware of them. And that’s partly what Christian community is for–brothers and sisters can point out when we’re walking around with a sour face, when we have reason to be beaming.

(“Sour face” = metaphor for any behaviour that does not glorify God–even if it’s not overtly sinful. “Beaming” = the opposite and God-honouring  behaviour.)

– Hannah

 

Do you know if God is pleased with you?

That was one of the hardest questions I had to answer this summer. In front of me was sitting my former mentor on a break from his ~3 year missions trip in Mongolia.

I began the regiment of jogging my memory for verses of God being pleased but I blanked out and came up with virtually nothing. Well, I did think of Mark 1:11 where God’s voice came from heaven declaring that Jesus was His Son, and with Him He was well pleased. Well of course He’d be, Jesus is God’s Son and is also one with God. He is perfect and I am, well, far from that.

My mentor could tell that he had me stumped. I decided to forego my pride and go with honesty.

“I’m not sure.”

And that’s kind of funny: someone is your true love, and you claim to know them well, yet you don’t know how they felt about you. I mean, I know I’m loved by God: that was clearly displayed at the cross. But to think of Him being pleased with me suddenly felt so detached from that understanding. I see my sin, and I’m disgusted by it. How can God not be disgusted at me?

I don’t remember how I came to my current understanding of it, but I’ll cut to the chase. I’m in no way giving the “God hates sin, but loves the sinner” route with this, but with a confession in saying that I was idolizing my sin. Of course sin is hideous, and one should look at their sin in disgust in hatred, but sin isn’t the Sinatra of this show. God is. God didn’t intend for us to live in the gripes and regret of our sin, but to worship Him. When we struggle and mourn in repentance of our sins, it only enhances our ability to worship Him; but the former is not a replacement for the latter. Thinking that God could not be pleased with me because of my sin actually cheapens God’s forgiveness and grace. God knows better than myself my imperfections and knows that I will be a sinner until the day I die. Does that mean that God holds a naive grudge over my sin and myself until then? No, God’s forgiveness and grace is bigger than my sin, and allows me to overcome it. When a person is saved, they are no longer a slave to sin, because if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). I am a child of God and He is pleased with me.

So as a thumbnote, for every look you take at your sin, take two (or more) looks at God and thank Him for His grace and forgiveness. He is the Sinatra of this show, not you nor your sin, and He’s asking you to do it His way (sorry I couldn’t resist).

– Jeff

Reminded of His Promise(s)

For the past week I have been able to read 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. It has been quite fruitful reading the life of David and Solomon. They have done many great things from escaping armies and conquering families.

But there is one thing that always stands out when reading the Scriptures. Man has great victories but man will always fall short of the Glory of God. David and Solomon both had many victories and had done great wonders for God. For example, David defeated waves and waves of armies on his own, maneuvered away from Saul and greatly honoured family even if they were going to kill him. Solomon he “impressed” God with his request for a wise heart to judge Israel, built the “temple”, and traversed many areas.

But both men at the height of their renown fell short by straying away from God’s statutes and falling to their temptation. It is true in Jeremiah 17:9,

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?” NASB

Solomon with a wise heart blessed by God still fell short and did not judge wisely of his own actions because of his lust for foreign women turned him away from God. (1 Kings 11:4) For one it pains me of the sin I commit because I am weak and worthless, but Praisenbe to God who took the worthless and gave it worth! For such excellence is praised to God for fulfilling the promises for His own.

For how amazing is the Lord to save us from the treacherous flames, as from Jonathan Edwards,

“We are like a spider that hangs on a thin line of thread, hanging over an open fire, the wind moves the string but does not break, for it is God who holds the line. But at any moment, the string could break if God causes it.” (paraphrased from Jonathan Edwards, “sinners in the hands of an angry God”)

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
⁵ He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
(Ephesians 1:3-6, NASB)

– Jp